


A Trip to the Store (Agere Janus)

by DannyisDone



Series: Agere Janus and Remus Human AU [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Play Caregiver Logic | Logan Sanders, Age Play Caregiver Morality | Patton Sanders, Age Play Little Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Age Play Little Deceit | Janus Sanders, Age Regression, Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, Bullying, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Human AU, Hurt/Comfort, If I didn't tag something please lmk, Janus gets hurt while little, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Dark Sides (Sanders Sides), Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:36:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27682987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DannyisDone/pseuds/DannyisDone
Summary: This story contains Age Regression and is NOT sexual.Janus convinces Logan to allow him to go to store with him while he's regressed a bit older. Though Logan is hesitant, he allows him to tag along, leaving Patton and a regressed Remus at home. However, while at the store, Janus is confronted, and doesn't handle it very well.+++Human Au!Warnings: Janus gets bullied while regressed, lots of crying. Use of the word 'Daddy' in a paternal way, Janus is made fun of for his physical appearance.  If additional warnings need added, please let me know!Also I am sorry if this is way too long, but I am also not sorry because I wrote this for ME to fit my specific story wants!!
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Agere Janus and Remus Human AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042323
Comments: 18
Kudos: 131





	1. Chapter 1

“Can you please repeat the rules for me one more time?” Logan asked, sparing a quick glance at the rearview mirror to peer at the regressor sitting in the back seat. Janus rolled his eyes, letting out a dramatic sigh, but nodded in compliance. 

“No walking away without permission and I hafta tell you if I start feeling smaller.” Janus repeated back to his caregiver. This was the first time Janus had ever willingly been regressed outside of the house. They were heading to the store to pick up a few things for dinner that night, and though Logan would have been much more comfortable leaving the little with Patton and Remus, Janus had insisted that he was big enough to go. His headspace was falling at about 10-12, if Logan had to put an age range to it, but Janus’s headspace tended to fluctuate so much that it usually wasn’t necessary. 

Logan pulled into the parking lot of the little dollar store he was picking the items up at. He didn’t want to overwhelm Janus by taking him to a huge grocery store, and he only needed a few items anyways. Hopefully this trip would just be an in and out one, but would still let Janus experiment with what he was comfortable doing in public while regressed. Logan had been shocked when his little had expressed interest in it, considering Janus was fairly shy when he was younger. But when he was in a firm middlespace, as he was today, it seemed he was much bolder. 

“If at any point you want to leave, all you need to do is ask.” Logan reminded him, earning him another eye roll from Janus. He wasn’t bothered by the display of defiance, and was glad that Janus was feeling more and more comfortable with their relationship to the point that he felt he could be a bit defiant. At the beginning of their dynamic, Janus had been too afraid of disappointing his caregivers that he hadn’t allowed himself to color outside the lines of a picture, let alone give a bit of attitude. It made Logan’s heart swell a bit, knowing the progress Janus was making. 

Logan got out of the car and walked over to Janus’s door to let him out. The child lock was turned on, since Remus couldn’t be trusted not to try and open the doors when they were driving, whether he was little or big. Janus hurried out, wrapping his coat around him a bit tighter as a winter wind picked up. 

“Do you want your patch before we head in?” Logan asked, pulling Janus’s hat more over his ears so that they were covered. Janus’s patch was meant to help hide the burn scars that affected the left side of his face. Before Janus had met Patton and Logan, he wouldn’t have been caught dead without it. He had been made to feel so horrible about his scars growing up, and it was taking years for him to unlearn that he was ugly or that he wasn’t deserving of being comfortable in his own skin. It was only very recently that he had begun going in public without it, though it was only when he was Big. 

Janus looked down for a moment, watching as snow dust danced on the concrete. He didn’t wear the patch much when little, but that was only because he was only ever little around Patton, Remus, or Logan, and he knew that they wouldn’t make fun of him. But he was now little and in public. He chewed on his lip a bit. But really, what were the chances that he would even see these people again? And he didn’t want to disappoint Logan. (Why he thought it might disappoint Logan, he wasn’t too sure. But he wanted to seem strong in front of the other, and not afraid of being in public.)

“No patch.” He decided, giving a sharp nod of his head. Logan gave him a small smile, before leaning forward, lightly kissing Janus’s head. Janus groaned in disapproval of the display of affection, but accepted it.

“Are we all ready then?” Logan asked standing straighter and patting his pockets, making sure he had everything. His wallet, the list, and Janus’s eye patch were all there, so all that was needed to head forward was Janus’s permission The regressor suddenly had a thought, but felt a bit shy about asking. 

“Will you buy me something, Dad?” Janus asked quietly, looking around first just to make sure no one was around to hear it. Logan considered it a moment before nodding. 

“You can pick out something for Remus and yourself, if you’d like. But you can only keep it if you behave.” Janus smiled, satisfied, and moved to follow Logan into the store. 

He wouldn’t admit it to his caregiver, but he was rather nervous about being in public. He didn’t think he could misbehave even if he wanted to. Even though he was feeling quite bigger than he normally did when he regressed, he still couldn’t help the butterflies in his stomach and the shyness that caused him to walk a little bit closer to Logan than necessary. And when Logan got a cart for them, he made sure to hold onto the buggy just a bit to ensure that they wouldn’t be separated. 

The store seemed rather empty, much to Janus’s relief. A few customers could be seen in the process of checking out, and paid the duo little mind as they walked into the store. Janus immediately knew what he wanted his Dad to buy him as soon as his eyes landed on them. He tugged at Logan’s sleeve lightly. 

“Can I get one?” He asked, before pointing towards the party section of the store, where a dozen or so balloons were floating. Logan followed to where he was pointing and saw the colorful display. His caregiver hesitated in giving him an answer, causing Janus to immediately feel self-conscious about his decision, wondering if Logan would think he was too old for a balloon, or tell him he didn’t want them in the car. But those fears washed away as soon as Logan made his decision. 

“Sure, would you like to carry it around the store, or pick it up on the way back?” But before Logan had finished his sentence, Janus was already moving towards the display, ready to pick his balloon out then and there. He looked up at them, trying to decide on a favorite. He pulled at some of the strings, watching them bounce up and down as he did say. Finally, his eyes landed on a shiny blue star balloon. He immediately knew that it was the one. He grabbed at the string and pulled it away from the rest, showing it off to Logan who had finally made his way over. 

Logan offered a small smile to the other, who yanked the string a few times to show off his choice. “A very good choice.” He assured Janus. “Do you think Remus would want one?” 

Janus didn’t need to think about it, shaking his head no. “He tries to eat balloons, he doesn’t understand that they pop.” Janus explained, knowing his friend’s little space very well. Though Remus usually regressed to around 4-6 (Though again, labels were sort of pointless, since both of their regressions could be so touchy), he still didn’t grasp certain concepts like ‘not everything you can grab has to go into your mouth at some point’. So Janus knew that if he was going to get his friend something, it would have to be something he could chew and bite on with little consequence. 

Logan had to suppress a chuckle, before nodding. “Smart thinking.” He said, before pushing the cart forward, moving them into the next aisle. Janus noticed in the corner of his eye another cart just behind them, walking up to the balloon display as well. He turned his gaze to look, seeing a woman pushing a toddler in a cart, who was cheering ‘Loon! ‘Loon!’ and pointing towards the balloons. He began to wonder again if his choice was a bit too babyish, but couldn’t linger on the thought long as he realized that Logan was getting further away. He hurried after him, grabbing the cart with his free hand when he caught up. 

Logan was looking over the shelf, looking for something specific, before peering at Janus. He noticed the tight grip he had around the string of the balloon. “Would you like me to tie that around your wrist so that it doesn’t fly away?” He offered, perhaps noticing Janus’s worried look and mistaking it for concern about his balloon. Janus immediately rolled his eyes at the suggestion. 

“I’m not a baby, I can carry a balloon.” He said, before huffing. Logan did not seem to appreciate the response, but must have decided to let it go as he turned back to the shelf to pick up what he wanted. Janus sighed, before noticing a loud crying behind him. He turned towards the noise, and noticed that the lady and her toddler were coming down the aisle they were in. He immediately looked away and down at the cart, suddenly feeling very shy once more. 

Logan’s phone began to buzz, pulling Janus from his thoughts. When he looked back at Logan, he was composing a text message to whoever had texted him. Janus wondered if it was Patton, or maybe even Remus if he wasn’t regressed. Whoever it was, it left Logan momentarily distracted as the woman began to approach the two, her little boy staring up at Janus’s balloon. 

“I’m sorry, I know this is a bit silly, but that was the last star balloon, and my son really wants it.” She explained, gesturing down towards her crying son. He was no longer wailing though, his attention given to the shiny balloon that floated above Janus’s head. “Would you be willing to give it to us?” 

Janus frowned, and suddenly felt very protective of the balloon, holding the string just a bit tighter to his chest. He had picked this balloon out for a reason, and he wasn’t very interested in getting a different one. He glanced over at Logan, but he was still busy responding to whoever had texted him and didn’t seem aware of the conversation happening. Janus looked back at the women. 

“I picked this out for my brother, sorry.” Janus lied, summoning up the biggest voice he could manage and hoping the conversation would end at that. He wasn’t sure he had ever spoken much to anyone when regressed, that wasn’t his caregivers or Remus, and he wasn’t really interested in starting now. But the woman's face immediately went sour at his words, and it made Janus feel very nervous.

“Come on, he’s obviously upset, can’t you just get a different one?” She asked, growing more and more annoyed. Janus could feel himself getting annoyed too, and he wished he could age up and tell this lady to leave him alone. Instead of aging up though, he felt himself just getting moodier and moodier. 

“No I can’t get a different one, lady.” He punctuated ‘lady’ with a smirk. Sure, he felt bad for the toddler, and maybe if he wasn’t regressed he would have just resigned to giving the balloon up and getting another one, but he had picked this balloon out for a reason. It was a star, and Dad loves stars, and it was blue! Papa’s favorite color. The balloon reminded him of his caregivers, and he wasn’t about to give it up just because some woman at the store asked him to. However, the sass seemed to drain from him immediately when the woman decided to turn her attention away from him and onto Logan. She tapped aggressively on his shoulder, finally pulling him away from his phone. 

Logan looked at the scene around him. There was a woman glaring at him, a toddler in her cart, and Janus looking at him with worry. Logan now wished he hadn’t been so distracted, unsure what had been happening just behind his back.

“Can I help you?” He asked the woman, trying to get a gauge on the situation. 

“Is this guy with you? He’s being very rude to me and making my son very upset.” She explained, once more gesturing towards her child, who had seemed to calm down quite a bit and was just idly watching the balloon as it swayed. Logan looked over at Janus, who was suddenly very sheepish and ansty. 

“She wants me to give her the balloon.” Janus offered as a defense. Logan nodded in understanding, before looking back at the mother. 

“I am sorry that he’s offended you, but he doesn’t have to give you the balloon if he doesn’t want to.” Logan figured the conversation would end there, who in the world would cause such a ruckus over a balloon? But this woman was not satisfied by his answer and glowered at them. 

“What is wrong with you people?” She growled, before pushing the cart off, hurrying out of the aisle. As she left, the balloon leaving the toddler’s sight, his tears began to kick back up again, and he started wailing throughout the store. 

Logan looked very surprised by what had happened, not having expected anything like that over a balloon. He looked back at Janus, who was no longer looking at him, but instead into the empty cart. 

“Do you want to go home?” Logan offered. He couldn’t tell if the confrontation had made Janus drop younger or if he was even still regressed at all. Janus shook his head quickly though.

“Are you sure?” Logan could always come back to the store. He didn’t mind taking Janus home if he was too uncomfortable being here after that weird but stressful confrontation. He would never want to subject Janus to something he wasn’t able to handle. But Janus simply nodded, giving Logan a small grin. 

“Still gotta pick something out for Remus.” He explained, his eyes letting Logan know that he was still in middlespace, and he still wanted to try with this little adventure. His caregiver offered a bit of a smile, wordlessly trying to communicate the pride he felt for Janus. The boy seemed to pick up on it and looked away, not letting his Dad see his reddening cheeks. 

They continued down the aisles, Logan occasionally stopping to look at something or putting it in the cart. Janus would look around as well, just in case he might spy something that Remus might like, though he was sure he wouldn’t find anything until they got to the toy section. He tried pulling on his balloon again, to spark some of the same excitement he had felt about it before, but that woman had seemed to effectively sap any and all enjoyment he had gotten from it. It didn’t help that he was also feeling just a tad bit guilty about making the toddler cry (the guilt only worsening since he could still hear the wails in the small store), but he tried to push those feelings away. 

“That’s the last thing on the list.” Logan noted as he placed a loaf of bread into the car, marking off the scribbled word from the list Patton had handed him before they left. He looked over at Janus whose face was broken out into a grin.

“Toy section?” Janus asked, and was rewarded with a nod from his Dad. Janus resisted the bubbling feelings that threatened to make him jump with excitement. He couldn’t wait to pick out something for Remus and give it to him. Janus rarely got to be the older of the two, so he needed to make sure that he picked something out that would make his little friend beam. (Janus couldn’t deny that while gift giving in and of itself felt good, he was kind of looking forward to the praise he would receive from Patton for being such a caring friend, and from Remus who would look up to him and probably want to play with him immediately.) 

As they made it to the small toy section of the store, Janus hurriedly began looking around, trying to find something perfect for Remus. In his haste to search the toys, he hardly realized that he had let go of the string. It only became apparent to him when it started to fly in front of his face. He quickly scrambled to grab it, dropping the toy that he had been inspecting. When he finally got a hold of it again, he could hear Logan tsk behind him. 

“Why don’t we tie that around your wrist, Jay? It would prevent you from losing it.” Logan started towards Janus, but he shook his head quickly. 

“No, I’m not a baby. I won’t let go of it...again.” Janus was only able to hold his Dad’s gaze a moment more before he finally looked away, feeling a bit of annoyance in him. Logan frowned at the display, but wasn’t going to push the subject further. He would prefer to make sure the balloon didn’t fly away so that he didn’t have to deal with a grumpy preteen on the drive back home when he lost his prize, but he also wasn’t willing to risk a tantrum in the store from forcing Janus to secure the balloon. He supposed his little would just have to learn the hard way if he let it go. Logan decided then that he might have to sneakily buy a second prize for Janus, just to ensure that he would still get something positive from this trip if the balloon were to manage to get away from him 

“Alright, keep looking then. I’m sure Patton is eager for us to get home.” And as if summoning him, Logan’s phone began to ring, Patton’s ringtone filling the small space around them. Logan blushed a bit as he fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket, making Janus snicker before moving further down the aisle to continue his search. 

Once Logan managed to answer the phone, he relaxed a bit. “Hello, Patton.”

“Are you still at the store?” Patton asked, and Logan could sense the concern in the other’s voice. 

“Yes, is everything okay?” He asked, worry now coating his tone as well. He looked up, making sure Janus was still in eyesight. 

“Yes yes, everything’s fine!” Patton assured. “Remus woke up from his nap regressed, and was a little upset when he couldn’t find Janus. I went to pour him some juice, and just realized that we were out, do you think you could pick it up?” 

Logan should have realized that Remus would not be keen on waking up alone. Remus was very protective of Janus when in headspace (and in life in general), and did not like to be separated from him. It would have been different if Remus had known they were leaving, but perhaps waking up alone and unsure where his friend was had left him feeling a bit ‘upset’ as Patton put it. Logan sighed a response. 

“I can get the juice, and when we check out, I can have Janus call him. Is he doing okay?” Logan asked, pushing the cart forward to keep in stride with his little, who was now eyeing a slime making kit. (Logan would not have the heart to tell him no if that is what Janus decided to pick, but he already began dreading the cleanup that would follow, as well as spending the following week finding dried slime everywhere.) 

“He’s fine, just a little sad. He’s sitting in the cool down chair because he was throwing a bit of a fit, huh buddy?” Logan could hear a whine from Remus through the phone, which brought him a bit of comfort. Sometimes Remus’s tantrums could be hard to bear, particularly because they knew it wasn’t something he wanted to do. When he stopped regressing, he would always apologize for his behavior and insist that they didn’t have to put up with it, and they always assured him that it was okay, that they understood, and that they wanted to be there for him to help him calm down. Remus was working so hard on being more comfortable about his regression, the good parts and the frustrating parts. 

“Be good for Papa, Re. I’ll call you when we leave the store.” Logan said, causing Janus to look up from where he was kneeling. He hadn’t realized that the other was on the phone. He stood up, before holding up the toy he decided to get Remus. It was a charming little lego set that could be used to build a pirate ship. Janus knew his friend loved pirates when regressed and also had a knack for building. It seemed like the perfect gift. 

“Tell Re I got him a present.” Janus said. Logan looked at the gift and smiled, but shook his head, causing the other to frown a bit. 

“I love you too, Pat. Call you in a few.” Logan hung up the phone before addressing Janus, who was staring at him with slightly annoyed eyes. 

“We’re gonna call them when we get to the car, you can tell him then.” Logan assured him. Janus still grumbled, but put the toy in the cart. Logan simply chuckled. 

“We need to go back to the beverage aisle and get some grape juice, then we can head towards checkout.” He explained, pushing the cart forward to get them moving again. Janus stood in front of the cart though, preventing it from wheeling another inch. 

“I can go get the juice!” He exclaimed. He wanted to get out of the store as quickly as possible so he could get home and show Remus his new toy. And the easiest way to do that was to get Logan into the checkout as quickly as possible. He wasn’t really thinking through all the ramifications of going off on his own could lead to, but Logan certainly was, a skeptical frown settling on his face. 

“I don’t know…” Logan started, but Janus looked back at him with pleading eyes. 

“I’m fine, I can do it.” He promised. Logan was still skeptical, but he didn’t want to prevent Janus from exhibiting autonomy. If he wanted to do something (And it wasn’t dangerous or illogical) then Logan typically let him do it, even if sometimes it was setting the little up for failure. He had to learn, but Logan wasn’t sure if a lesson would be worth his boy being alone in a store without someone around. However, Janus did seem much older than he normally was, and it wasn’t that uncommon for a preteen to separate from their parents in a store. With a reluctant sigh, Logan gave in. 

“Alright, but please don’t delay.” He said, and before he could even begin to rethink his decision, Janus was off towards the beverage aisle. 

Despite his earlier nervousness, Janus was feeling quite excited to be off on his own, riding his confidence through as he hurried on. He was so excited to get home, to show off what he got Remus, to get hugs from Papa, and to tie his balloon around his smaller toys and see if they would fly. When he got to the right aisle, he walked down it, his mind still racing through what he would do when they got home. 

The grape juice was on the bottom shelf, so he had to bend down to get it. He reached into the shelf, because of course the only remaining bottles were pushed all the way to the back. 

Suddenly though, he was pushed over, a cart running directly into him. He gasped as he fell, landing on his side, the balloon he had been tightly gripping the whole trip once more flying away from his hand as he went to catch himself on the ground. It took him a few seconds to really process what had happened, before he heard footsteps approaching him. 

“So glad to see you’ve changed your mind.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus is confronted at the store and has to fight to stay out of headspace long enough for him to return to the safety of his caregiver. When he's finally safe once more, Janus lets all of his emotions out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Janus gets bullied while regressed, lots of crying. Use of the word 'Daddy' in a paternal way, Janus is made fun of for his physical appearance. If more warnings need to be added please let me know!
> 
> Here's the last chapter! I considered breaking it into three parts, but couldn't really find a good place to break it up. Also a lot of this just comfort comfort comfort and I really needed to write that ;-;. If there are any spelling or grammar errors, please let me know! And thank you for reading and being patient for this chapter <3

Janus looked up to see the lady from before, taking his balloon and walking back towards her son, fiddling with the string when she returned to him. Janus was reeling, trying to fully understand what was happening. 

He scrambled up to his feet, before setting a glare at the women, who looked back at him with almost bored eyes. This made Janus seethe. “You pushed me over!” He accused. He could feel himself aging up almost immediately, Who did this lady think she is? He lunged forward, determined to take the balloon back, only to notice she had tied it around her toddler’s wrist, making it so if he took it away, he would end up hurting the kid. She seemed to smirk as Janus retracted, knowing she had managed to make it impossible to get it back. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The woman said, lifting her son into her arms. “From what I saw, you tried to just yank a balloon away from my son. Aren’t you an adult?” She asked. 

“What is your problem?” Janus demanded, but suddenly stopped when he noticed the child in her arms. He stared at Janus with wide, terrified eyes, the balloon long forgotten by the kid. Janus could feel his own self consciousness threatening to suddenly suffocate him. He had been yelling in the store. He had been pushed over. And now he was terrifying a child, probably both from his yelling and his scars. 

“Sir, if you don’t leave me alone, I’m getting security. You look like a monster, you don’t need to behave like one too” She said, taking a step back, but he could still see the glint of satisfaction in her eye. Janus wasn’t sure if he could convince security to believe him even if it was the truth. He was a terrifying looking adult man who had been walking around the store with a balloon, and then tried to yank it away from a child. Even if he could prove the lady had pushed him, who would care? He was a freak. 

Janus took a step back from the lady, suddenly covering the scars on his face with his hand. Fear, hurt, and embarrassment settled into him like a rock sinking in water. He needed to leave. He needed to find Logan. 

He didn’t run, but he wanted to. He hurried out of the beverage aisle, forgetting about getting the juice. He heard the woman laugh as he left, before cooing at her son, promising that the scary man wasn’t going to hurt him. He moved towards the front of the store, hardly aware of anything around him. He was just barely hanging on, his fight for self preservation the only thing keeping him from collapsing into headspace and completely falling apart. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as a mantra began in his head, ‘Escape and Hide, Escape and Hide, Escape and Hide’ 

He spotted Logan at the checkout furthest away, and then he did run. 

Because he needed to get out of here. He needed to get away from the woman and these people. He needed to go home. He needed his Daddy and his Papa and Remus. 

But he had to get out of this store first. 

When Logan saw Janus running towards him, concern immediately washed over his face. He handed the cashier his card for payment, but was hardly paying attention to them. Janus was cradling his eye and he was no longer carrying his balloon. Logan’s first thought was maybe it had popped or flew too high and he couldn’t reach, but that thought was immediately replaced with a much more worrying one when Janus finally caught up to him. 

“Give me my patch.”

Logan fumbled a bit, still trying to process what was happening with Janus. He didn’t sound regressed anymore nor did he look like it either. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the patch. Janus yanked it away from him. He ripped the beanie off his head before beginning to put the thing on. Logan just watched, unsure how he should even start to approach the situation without knowing what was causing this outburst. His card was suddenly being handed back to him along with a receipt. Logan hesitated to leave, but was met with a growl by Janus. 

“Come on, move!” He practically yelled, his voice cracking just a bit, startling Logan into movement as he pushed the cart towards the exit. Janus stomped behind him, but his footfalls became less and less angry as they entered back into the cold outside. Logan still couldn’t find his words to ask what was wrong, but once they made it to the car, he turned towards Janus whose face looked like it was about to crumple. 

“Oh Jay…”

And with that soft expression, Janus began to cry, bursting as soon as he felt safe enough to do so. He flung himself at Logan, who caught the other in a hug, holding him tightly. Logan tried to shush him, tried to get him to calm down, but it was pointless. Janus couldn’t even hear him, his ears ringing as he came down from the adrenaline of having to escape. 

Logan began to pull away, which only made Janus cry harder. He couldn’t even begin to feel shame at the fact that if anyone was around, they most definitely could hear him. He was too little to care. He was suddenly being coaxed into the car. He wailed at suddenly being left alone, kicking the seat in front of him in frustration. Logan’s heart ached, but he needed to get his little out of the cold, and he still had groceries sitting in his cart. He made quick work of getting all the sacks into the trunk, all the while still being able to hear Janus’s cries. Once he was finished, he moved to the front of the car, only staying long enough to put the keys in the ignition and getting the heater running. He then opened the door opposite to where Janus was sitting to move in next to him. 

Janus didn’t even register when Logan was back in the car with him. He was still crying, slamming his hands into anything they could hit. Logan knew better than to try and prevent Janus from moving, he would only ever step in if he started trying to hurt himself. 

“Janus, honey, it’s Daddy.” Logan said softly, but loud enough that it could be heard over Janus’s cries. “Can you breathe with me? I need you to match my breathing.” 

Janus could vaguely make out Logan’s voice, and it did manage to calm him down a bit. But he was still hurting so much. He tried to follow Logan’s instructions. It took a few minutes, but Logan was patient with his baby, offering small praises every time Janus managed to match his pace. Once Janus was no longer kicking or hitting, Logan moved a bit closer. 

“Can I hold you, sweetheart?” Logan asked, and a wave of relief washed over him when Janus gave a sharp nod. It took a bit of manoeuvring, but Logan soon had his little in his lap. He rocked gently, holding Janus close, knowing exactly what he needed to do in order to get his baby feeling safe again. Janus continued to cry against Logan, trying to muffle himself by burying his face in Logan’s coat. Logan began to pet his hair a bit. 

“It’s okay Jay, I’ve got you. It’s okay,” Logan whispered, a mantra that he would repeat as Janus worked through his breakdown.. It took a good few minutes before Janus’s cries were calmed down to silent tears and the occasional stuttering breath. Logan never let go though, never went to move away or put Janus down. Eventually Janus sat up a bit to look at Logan. His face was dirty with tears. At some point in his fit Janus must have pulled the eyepatch off. Logan reached his hand forward to wipe away the wetness from his baby’s face, careful of the scars. 

“There’s my baby.” Logan said sweetly. Janus didn’t respond, but leaned into the touches, letting a few more tears slip from his eyes. Logan cradled Janus’s cheek in his hand, rubbing his thumb lightly against his face. Janus’s eyes closed. 

“Do you want me to call Remus?” Logan asked, even though he had so many more pressing questions. He wanted to know what had happened, why he was so suddenly concerned about his scars (Logan could assume someone may have said something or looked at him strangely, but it could have also been as minor as catching a glimpse of himself). He wanted to know why he had aged up so fast, and how he dropped so hard when they got out of the store. He wanted to ask what had happened to his balloon and if that was part of the reason why all this was happening. However, he sensed that perhaps those questions would be too much right now, so despite his concerns, he just wanted to make sure his boy felt safe and secure. 

Janus gave a weak nod, before laying his head back down on Logan’s shoulder. He couldn’t talk, couldn’t form words past the lump in his throat. But he wanted to hear Remus, needed to have his friend near him. 

Logan reached into his pocket (Jostling Janus a bit, but he earned no complaints.) He called Patton and turned the speakerphone on so that they could both hear. 

“Hi Logie,” Patton’s sing-song voice filled the car, almost releasing all the tension that remained. Janus smiled into Logan’s neck. “Are you on your way back?” 

“We’ll be on our way soon, I’ll explain when we get home. Can you put Remus on the phone?” Logan heard some shuffling in the background, before a new, very loud voice, filled the car. 

“Hi Daddy!” Remus called in, bringing a small smile to Logan’s face, and he could feel Janus physically relax against him. Janus moved his head so that he could look at the phone. 

“Hello, Little Duke. How are we feeling?” Logan asked adjusting the volume on his phone just a bit so that Remus’s yelling didn’t get too unbearable. 

“Good, Papa said that I could help make dinner!” He exclaimed, since he was often told to stay out of the kitchen due to his affection for putting things in his mouth. Logan had to stop himself from chuckling, but did roll his eyes a bit. 

“How nice of him. I have Janus with me, care to say hi?” 

“Hi Jay-Jay!” Remus yelled into the phone, and Logan readjusted the volume once more. “Are you on your way back? Are you almost home? Is Daddy driving?” Remus asked each question without pause. Janus looked up at Logan with weary eyes, unable to answer. Logan wasn’t sure if it was because he was feeling nonverbal, or if he regressed so young that he couldn’t talk. 

“Remus, Janus isn’t feeling very talkative right now, but I know he wants to hear you. Why don’t you tell him a story?” Logan suggested, knowing that Remus loved to make up stories and share them with others. “Keep it simple though, Jay’s pretty young right now.” He explained. Remus let out a small noise of understanding, before beginning to delve into a story about a pirate crew looking for treasure, but the sea was maple syrup. 

Once Logan was sure that Janus was entranced, he handed the phone to the little to hold, before beginning to move him off his lap. Janus looked at him with sad eyes, but all Logan could do was offer a small kiss to his temple. He set Janus back into his seat, before leaning over and buckling him into his spot. Logan had forgotten about the child lock in the backseat, and had to climb from the back into the front awkwardly, earning him a small giggle from Janus. 

Once situated, Logan buckled himself in and got the car in motion. He listened in to Remus’s story, occasionally peering back to make sure Janus was okay. 

They were about halfway home when Logan suddenly heard Janus speak. It wasn’t directed towards him, and it was barely audible over the hum of the car and the traffic around him, and he had to strain to listen in on the conversation. 

“Re?” The little spoke, cutting the other’s story off mid sentence. “I forgot your juice.” Logan peered back at Janus and noticed that the other was starting to cry again. No where near the level of his breakdown earlier, but still concerning all the same. 

“That’s okay Jan, I don’t care.” Was Remus’s response, but Janus was already shaking his head. 

“No no, I shoulda grabbed it. I forgot. The lady pushed me--” Janus cut himself off with a sob. Logan was immediately turned around in his seat, making quick glances at the road instead. 

“Someone pushed you?” Logan said, anger settling into his voice, which he immediately had to bury away when he noticed it made Janus panic. However, Remus had no such ability to filter. 

“Who pushed you? Why would someone touch you?? Where was Daddy? Are you okay?” Remus was getting frantic, and Patton could be heard on the other line trying to calm the other little down. Janus was still shaking his head. 

“Don’t be mad, I’m sorry, I shoulda been bigger, I’m sorry--” Janus was getting worked up again. Logan grimaced. They were close to home, he didn’t want to have to pull over again and start back over from the beginning. He decided to go just a bit above the speed limit to try and get home faster and spoke soothing words to try and calm his baby. 

“Jay, it’s okay. No one’s mad, it’s okay.” Logan soothed, but it didn’t seem to be heard.

Janus had to hold the phone away from his face as Remus began to get worked up. Remus was so protective over his friend, it was hard for him not to get upset as well. They both had been through so much in their life, and he had always been there for Janus. And the one time they were apart something happened to him. Patton’s voice suddenly came from the phone. 

“Janus? Are you still there? Remus needs to cool down, I’m sorry someone pushed you baby, no one’s mad, I promise.” Patton’s voice was like a calming wave, guiding Janus away from his panic a bit, and calming Logan enough to feel that they would get home without further incident. Janus was still crying, but it was soft now, holding the phone tightly to his face. 

When Logan was finally pulling into the driveway, he could hear Patton trying to sooth both boys with soft humming, which seemed to have worked. Logan turned off the car and took a steadying breath, finally feeling like he could relax and take care of his boys. He looked back at Janus to see his eyes were closed and he was quietly sucking his thumb. He couldn’t be asleep, but perhaps he was just content enough to listen to Patton’s soft humming and finally managed to relax again. 

“Jay, we’re home. Can you tell Papa to come get you?” He asked. Janus opened a weary eye. 

“Papa, hold.” He mumbled into the phone. However Patton seemed to understand. As Logan was stepping out of the car, his partner was coming out, his winter coat wrapped tightly around him. Remus stood in the doorway as well, holding his stuffed octopus tightly to his chest as he eyed Patton carefully. 

Patton hurried to Janus’s side, opening the door and smiling at his little boy. Janus looked up at him blearily. Patton gave home a soft smile. 

“Do you want me to carry you?” He asked. Patton was not as strong as Logan, but he could probably manage getting Janus into the house. His little one nodded, attempting to wrap his arms around Patton’s neck in anticipation. Patton just chuckled though, moving the arms away. 

“You got to get unbuckled first, silly.” He teased, earning him a small giggle. Patton unbuckled Janus before carefully lifting him out of the car. It was manageable, one arm wrapped around his waist while the other supported his rear. Janus helped as well, wrapping his arms and legs around Patton’s body, burying his face into his Papa’s neck. 

Patton carefully moved them back into the house, Logan not far behind with bags of groceries in each hand. Once they had all returned to the warmth of their home, it was clear that they all began to relax immensely. Patton carried Janus into the living room, Remus walking right behind him. Logan moved into the kitchen to put the groceries away. 

Patton settled on the couch, keeping Janus in his lap, quick to look him over for any potential injury. Janus whined about not being allowed to lay back down on Patton as his hat and coat was stripped off of him.

“Ooh, do I have a fussy baby?” Patton teased, lightly tickling Janus’s stomach. Janus shook his head, but couldn’t help the giggles that escaped from him. Remus sat on the couch next to Patton on his knees, looking at his friend with determined eyes. 

“What happened, Jay?” He asked. Janus looked at him a moment before looking down at Patton’s lap. 

“Remus,” Patton warned. He had told Remus to give Janus a bit of space when he got home, considering they didn’t know what had happened or if Janus would even be able to talk about it. He didn’t necessarily blame Remus for his curiosity or his anger though. Patton felt it too. He just didn’t want to overwhelm Janus. 

Remus huffed, but laid his head against Patton’s shoulder, looking up at Janus. He didn’t want to overwhelm him, but Remus didn’t want to see his friend hurting, especially when he knew someone else had hurt him. 

“Can you tell me how old you are, baby?” Patton asked, moving a hand up to cup Janus’s cheek. Janus thought for a moment, leaning into the hand and closing his eyes. After a second of consideration, he offered up one finger as an answer. Patton nodded. That was definitely on the small end of Janus’s range. He leaned forward and lightly pressed kisses all over Janus’s face, making him squirm but smile. 

“Such a brave baby, he went to the store and helped his Daddy. I am so proud of you.” Patton said. Janus couldn’t help the noises of appreciation, before he finally buried his face back into Patton’s neck. 

“Daddy, do you know what happened?” Remus asked when Logan entered the room. Logan was carrying one of the grocery bags with him. He let out a small sigh and sat down next to Remus. The little was quick to scramble into his open lap. 

“No, I don’t. Janus was on his own when this happened. He had asked to go get the juice by himself. I shouldn’t have let him go while he was regressed.” Logan felt so guilty, especially now that it was known that someone had pushed Janus. He should have been with his boy, no matter how big he was feeling. Patton reached over and placed a hand on Logan’s knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“It’s okay,” Patton said with a small smile. “You made a mistake, we’ll get through this.” Logan smiled back, but he certainly did feel it. He wrapped his arms around Remus and gave him a light hug, which Remus returned eagerly, pressing his stuffie between their bodies. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, quietly enjoying each other’s company. The only sound between them was the ticking of a far off clock. 

However, they couldn’t stay like this forever. Patton still had to cook dinner. He gently led Janus off of his shoulder with a small whine. 

“I know baby, but you can’t sleep. I’m gonna start dinner.” He said. He stood up, still carrying Janus, before turning around and setting him on the couch. Janus sighed, but wasn’t left alone long. Remus quickly jumped out of Logan’s lap and crawled over to Janus, sitting next to him and letting the baby lay his head on his shoulder. 

“I’ll watch Jay, Papa.” Remus assured Patton, who chuckled in response. 

“I thought you were gonna help me make dinner?” He asked. Remus shook his head, before pointing at Logan. 

“Daddy can help, gotta watch the baby.” Remus explained, wrapping an arm around Janus’s waist as if to prove he would not leave the other’s side. Patton and Logan shared a look, before nodding. They knew they could trust a very little Janus with Remus. Remus would never hurt his friend, loved him way too much to do such a thing. Plus, there was a bond between the two that Patton and Logan knew they would never quite be able to insert themselves into. They had protected each other for years, both when regressed and when big. If Janus was safe with anyone in this world, it was with Remus. 

“Call us if you need anything, Little Duke,” Logan said as he stood. Once Remus showed he understood, Logan followed Patton into the kitchen.

Now that they were alone, Remus got serious. He aged up quickly. He knew Patton and Logan hated it when he forced himself out of headspace unless it was an emergency, but this felt like an emergency to Remus. He gently lifted Janus into his lap. 

“I know you’re really little, but can you talk?” Remus asked, gently rubbing Janus’s back. Janus thought a moment, before giving a short nod. He could tell immediately that Remus was no longer regressed, and it made him want to be big too, but he already jerked himself out of regression once today, and that always left him exhausted. It made his brain hurt. He knew it was the right decision to make, it was a means to protect himself, but it didn’t make it any easier.

“Jan, what happened at the store?” Remus asked, his brown eyes boring into Janus. “I know Dad and Pat won’t make you talk, but you have to tell me. I have to know that you are okay.” Remus explained, trying not to let his fear paint his words too much. The moment he found out someone had pushed Janus’s it had pushed Remus into a half regressed state, concern for his friend making it hard to stay little anyways. 

Janus whined and closed his eyes, trying to hide in Remus’s shoulder, but Remus held him firm. Janus felt tears well in his eyes. 

“I’ll get in trouble.” He whimpered, shaking his head, trying to convince Remus not to make him tell. He knew he would have to eventually, but he was so tired already. He felt a calloused hand stroke his arm gently. 

“You won’t get in trouble, I won’t let them.” Remus promised, not that he thought Janus had done anything wrong anyways. He leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. The little one sighed quietly. Words were hard, and his brain was so fuzzy. But he didn’t want Remus to worry about him anymore. 

“Lady knocked me down with her cart.” Janus explained. “Took my balloon.” Remus frowned at that. What kind of jerk takes someone’s balloon? Even if Janus was a full grown adult, you still don’t steal from others. However, if Janus’s reaction was any indication, that was not all that had happened. He had regressed so young and was clearly suffering from a forced age up, something else must have have occurred, something that struck deep at Janus’s insecurities. 

“Anything else?” He asked, encouraging the other to keep going. 

Janus suddenly grew very still, recalling the rest of what happened. He knew that if he told Remus, he would get so angry. He felt his tears fall past his eyes and onto his cheeks once more. When Remus went to wipe the one’s falling on his scarred face, Janus jerked away from the hand. 

“Wanted my balloon back, but I scared her baby.” Janus explained, unable to look Remus in the eyes anymore, though he was suddenly gripping at Remus’s shirt, holding onto it tightly. “Scar did it.” He mumbled out the last bit, before finally being allowed to lay his head on Remus’s shoulder, softly weeping into them. 

Remus felt his hug tighten around Janus, as if he meant to never let go. He was rocking back and forth a bit, but anyone who knew Remus would know it was more for how own comfort than it was for Janus’ He could feel Janus begin to shake in his hold. 

“A-an, a-nd she lied and said she didn’t push me, and that she was gonna call security, and said that I was gonna hurt her baby and I wasn’t gonna hurt him I just wanted my balloon back and she called me a monster and--” Janus had to take a deep breath, trying to force out everything that had happened in one go. At the sound of the commotion, Logan was hurrying back into the living room, where he found a crying Remus rocking back and forth with Janus in his arms. Remus looked over at Logan. He immediately regressed again, since he knew he was allowed to. Knew he could be vulnerable with Logan and trusted him. 

“She took his balloon and made fun of his scars, Daddy.” Remus cried, rocking harder as Logan approached. But he knew he had to tell the other. Janus wouldn’t be able to tell his caregivers, even if he wanted to, and Remus knew that. He just hoped his small explanation was enough for Logan to understand what had happened. Logan knelt down so that he was sitting lower than Remus, forcing the other to look down at him. He gently patted his knee. 

“Little Duke, thank you.” He said. 

Remus nodded but continued to cry, hating knowing that someone had hurt his best friend. He leaned his head on Janus. This was so familiar to him, rocking and holding a hurt Janus. He had done it many times throughout their life, and Janus had done the same for him. He wished he didn’t have to be doing it, wished that people weren’t such jerks. He looked at Logan with broken eyes, continuing to rock back and forth. 

Logan rubbed Remus’s thigh gently. “You took such good care of your friend, Re, I’m very proud.” He explained. And Logan meant it. He wasn’t sure how he had managed to get Janus to explain the situation, but those two had a different way of communicating with each other anyways. Things that they couldn’t bear to tell the world, they would tell each other, just because they knew it was safe to do so. Sometimes it made his job a bit harder, knowing there were things that were going to hurt his boys that they wouldn’t be able to share, but he took comfort in knowing that they always would have each other. 

With a deep breath, Remus managed to calm back down, feeling good knowing that Logan now knew what was wrong. Remus and Janus had always taken care of each other’s problems, had always had to deal with it on their own. It was relief knowing that now, he didn’t have to deal with it. He could tell Daddy what happened and he would make it better. He took a moment to feel how Janus was doing. He wasn’t crying anymore, and was simply laying his head down on him. Remus sighed in relief.

Logan rose up just a bit. “Why don’t I take Janus and get him ready for dinner? I think you could use a minute to calm down, then you can help your Papa finish cooking like you had wanted.” He offered. Remus was hesitant to let the other go, but trusted Logan. It had taken a long time to build that trust, but it was had. He looked down at Janus, who was now looking back up at him. Janus gave a slight nod, giving Remus all the permission he needed to let the other go. 

“Okay, but be careful Daddy! He’s just a little thing,” Remus said, as if Logan needed the reminder. Logan chuckled and lifted Janus from his lap, steadying him on his hip. 

“We’ll be right back, I promise.” Logan assured and headed towards the stairs. He heard Remus scamper off into the kitchen, which brought a small smile to his face. Before leaving the living room, Logan made sure to pick up the grocery bag he had brought in earlier, then making his way up towards the bedrooms.

“Let’s get you into some pajamas.” Logan told his little before carrying him off towards his bedroom. It was a bit too early for bedtime, but the caregiver suspected tonight would be an early night for Janus. He’d probably fall right asleep right after dinner. Once in Janus’s warm bedroom, Logan set him on the bed, softly petting his hair before moving around the room to collect some of his little items. 

“Can I talk to you about what happened, or do you need some time?” Logan asked as he pulled out Janus’s snake onesie, some changing supplies, and his pacifier. He walked over with his items, looking Janus over carefully. The response he got was a soft hum and a nod. Logan gently placed the pacifier in front of Janus’s lips, which he took gratefully, signifying to the other that he did not need to talk, only listen. 

“Firstly, I want to start with an apology. I will make sure to say it again when you are older, but Daddy never should have let you go off on your own.” Logan explained, removing Janus’ black t-shirt. Janus started to fuss at the apology, but was quickly hushed by his caregiver. “No, I do have to apologize. Not for trusting you, you were certainly old enough to be on your own, but because you got hurt and I wasn’t there.” He leant forward and pressed a kiss to Janus’s head before slowly easing him down on the bed. 

“Secondly, I want you to know that no one is mad at you. Again, I will make sure to say it when you are big, but no one is ever going to be upset that you handled things like a child when you are regressed. You were being bullied, I don’t know how I would have handled that as an adult, let alone a kid.” Logan began taking off Janus’s pants and boxers, looking up every few seconds to make sure that Janus was listening to him. The boy looked exhausted, but he nodded along to Logan, trying to let him know he understood.

Before carrying on, Logan made sure to get his baby dressed, knowing he hated being changed. He didn’t have accidents often, even when at his littlest, because he was so afraid of disappointing his caregivers, but the few times he had, had led to huge meltdowns and panic attacks, as well as forcing himself to age up quickly (Which Logan certainly knew they needed to avoid, considering how miserable it seemed to be for Janus.) However Janus made no complaints, didn’t seem to notice the process as he was taped into a diaper. Logan’s thoughts began to wonder if Janus was just too little, if carrying on would be pointless. If he was too young to understand, then Logan would rather wait until he could. 

Logan continued to dress Janus, helping him into his onesie and zipping it up. The caregiver smiled at Janus softly, guiding him back up into a sitting position. He was just about to suggest going back downstairs when his little spoke up, carefully pulling the pacifier away from his lips. 

“I notta monster.” He whispered, perhaps saying it more to himself than to Logan. Logan smiled just slightly. 

“No, you aren’t. You are a good person, a carrying friend…” Logan moved to sit down on the bed next to Janus, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. “You’re loved, and you deserve to be treated with respect.” Logan wished he could make these statements more true in Janus’s mind. Wished he had the power to make Janus believe him when he said these things. He knew that Janus would always be a bit guarded up, would always need the assurance that he was wanted. And it didn’t help when unkind people threatened the progress that they had managed to make, all in the name of cruelty. All Logan could ever hope to do was say what he meant and show how he felt for both his little boys and his grown friends. 

“And you want to know what else you are?” Logan asked, turning Janus to face him. Janus stared back at him with wide eyes. Those eyes held nothing but adoration and calm, replacing the fear and insecurity that once had been there. Logan couldn’t be more proud of Janus, especially after such a hard day he had. 

“You’re Mine and Papa’s favourite little baby.” Logan began lightly tickling at Janus’s belly, causing the little to squeal with delight, attempting to push the offending hands away. Logan chuckled along with him, letting up just a moment later before standing. His eyes glanced over at the bag he had brought in. 

“Oh, I almost forgot.” He said as Janus began to recover from his laughing fit. Logan lifted the bag up, grabbing the other’s attention. “I was afraid that--” Logan caught himself from finishing his thought, not wanting to mention that he had been worried that Janus might lose his balloon. He cleared his throat. 

“What I mean to say is, Daddy got you something else at the store. Would you like to see it?” He asked, reaching into the bag. Janus’s eyes went wide and he nodded. 

Logan ended up pulling out a small stuffed snake that was a similar color to Janus’s onesie. As soon as Logan had spotted it when the other walked off, he knew he had to get it for his little one. (He probably would have gotten it even without worrying about Janus’s balloon. It was simply too cute and all too perfect. He had also caved and gotten the slime making set, because even though he didn’t want the mess, he knew it would make Remus extremely happy. Perhaps he spoiled his boys just a bit…) He presented the toy to Janus, who hesitantly looked up at Logan. 

“Me?” He asked around his pacifier, and Logan nodded. 

“Of course for you, silly. Why? Is there perhaps another baby around here?” He asked, pretending to look under the bed. Janus laughed and shook his head, making grabby hands at the toy. Logan let Janus take the toy and watched him immediately snuggle into it, a small ‘thank you’ escaping him. 

“You’re quite welcome, Jay. Now, let’s move on downstairs and get some food in you.” He said. He offered his arms to Janus, silently asking if he wanted to be carried or not. Janus decided against it, instead standing up. Logan wrapped an arm around him instead, and they both headed back downstairs and into the kitchen, in much better spirits now than they had been going up. 

When they walked into the kitchen, the table was already set with their meal. Remus was sitting in his chair, bouncing excitedly upon seeing his Daddy and Janus return. 

“Papa let me mix everything, Daddy!!” Remus exclaimed, though his eyes were looking at Janus, trying to gauge how the other was feeling. Janus offered him a small smile in return, and Remus finally felt his concerns melt away. If Janus was okay, then he would be okay too. 

Dinner went on without a hitch. Logan began to explain what had happened at the store to Patton, but his partner was quick to stop the conversation, letting him know Remus had already explained, (Plus, he felt that they ought to move on from the whole ordeal, at least until Janus was no longer regressed.) Most of the remaining conversations were held between Patton and Logan, with some interjections by Remus. Janus was sat next to Patton and being fed, though he probably could have managed to feed himself if he needed to. (But he didn’t need to, if he didn’t want to. That’s what Papas were for). When dinner was finally over and Logan began clearing away the dishes, Remus scooted his chair over towards Janus and Patton. Janus was using his snake to babble at Patton, who seemed very interested in whatever the stuffie was telling him. 

“Can we watch a movie Papa?” Remus asked, pointing towards the living room. “We can watch Care Bears, Jay loves them.” Janus seemed to like this idea, nodding his head in excitement, even though he had been on the edge of falling asleep all through dinner. Patton tapped his chin in faux thought. 

“Hm, a movie? I don’t know, there’s a cuddle entry fee, I’m afraid. Do you think you can afford it?” He asked, and was immediately answered by two littles leaning out and hugging onto Patton tightly, making the caregiver laugh in delight. The three snuggled together for a moment, before Patton finally relented. 

“Alright, you two sure are beary good at hugging.” He said, earning him a groan from Remus and giggles from Janus. Patton moved the two into the living room and began setting up the movie. Janus immediately crawled into his lap and settled there, letting himself be held closely, while Remus sat in Logan’s spot, waiting for his return. 

When Logan walked into the living room, he had with him two sippy cups and two steaming mugs. He walked over to Patton, leaning down and giving his hair a kiss, before moving on to do the same for Janus, placing the mug and the sippy cup on the coffee table in front of them. He then walked over to Remus, who was already hopped out of his seat, waiting for Logan to sit down. 

“How come Daddy doesn’t have to pay the cuddle fee?” Remus asked as he sat himself in Logan’s lap as soon as he was comfortable, taking the sippy cup he was handed. 

“Oh my, I did forget to pay. Allow me to correct that.” Logan said before pulling Remus into a tighter hug, making the little giggle with delight. 

Once everyone was settled and the movie began to play, a gentle calm landed over everyone like a soft blanket. The day had been hard, but at the end of it, they were all still together.


End file.
